Mechanism for facilitating the removal of a lamp from its socket



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G. F. KRT FOR FACILITA MECHANISM TING THE REMOVAL OF A LAME FROM ITSSOCKET Filed Oct. 51, 1952 Oct. 27, 1953 I INVEN TOR. 510/?62 A 1077005BY w 534 Azzv/f W624 Patented Oct. 27, 1953 George E.- Krtous Chicago,Ill, assignor toDe Vry Corporation, Chicago, 111., a corporation ofIllinois I Application October 31, 1952', Serialno. 317,946

' Claims. (01. 339-45) invention relates. to mechanism for facilitatingthe removal of a. lamp from. its socket, in which socket the lamp hasbeen inserted by a straight thrust and. then given a partial turn tolatch the lamp in the socket by engagement of a flange on the lamp witha plurality of latch Pins.

In most, if not all, of the conventional motion picture projectingmachines, the exeiter lamp is mounted. in a socket arranged in closequar ters with the surrounding structure, afiording very little fingerspace to enab1egrasping the lamp by the fingers for its removal from thesocket. Furthermore, as such latch pins are generally firmly spring heldin latched engage ment with the flange of the lampfor the purpose ofpreventing vibration or accidental displacement of the lamp and for thefurther purpose of firmly holding the electrodes of the lamp and theelectrode of the socket in positive contact with respect to each other,-great dithcul'ty is encountered in partially rotating the lamp for thepurpose of removing it from the socket.

One of the objects of my invention is to provide relatively simple andeasily operable mechanism for relieving the tension between the latchpins and the flange of the lamp socket to permit free partial turning ofthe lamp relative to the latch pins andremoval of the lamp from thesocket. I

Other objects will appear hereinafter.

The invention consists in the novel combination and arrangement of partsto be hereinafter described and claimed. v

The invention will be best understood by reference to the accompanyingdrawings showing the preferred form of construction, and in which:

Fig. l is a fragmentary perspective view of a motion picture machineshowing my invention associated therewith;

2 is an enlarged elevational view partly in section of a lamp and lampsocket having my inventionassociated therewith;

Fig. 3- is a, fragmentary sectional detail view showingone of the latchpins cammed to unlatched position;

Fig. 4 is a top plan view of a cam-bearing ring embodied in theinvention;

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary sectional detail view taken substantially online 5-5 of Fig. 4;

Fig. 6 is a sectional detail view taken substantially on line 6-6 ofFig. 2.

- In a conventional motion picture apparatus, there is arranged on awall I0 thereof a lens assembly I Adjacentto this lens assembly is anexciter lamp 2 including a, base l3. This base |3 is adapted to projectinto a socketv by a straight thrust.

Most exciter lamps include a flange l4 having formed therein bayonetslots l5 throughwhich the shanks it of latch pins l! are adaptedYtoproject. These latch pins ll have threaded or otherwise secured theretolatch heads 18, which, when disposed in the restricted area IQ of theslots l5, latch the base to the socket-supporting shelf 20.

As previously pointed out, these latch pins; I! are firmly held inposition by means of springs. My invention, as before stated.facilitates the projection of these latch pins ll to unlatched positionwhereby to permit free and ready re.- moval of the lamp l2 from itssocket.

To accomplish this object, I provide in the socket 2| a plurality ofbores 22 into which project the shanks l6 of the latchpins IT, The innerend portions of these latch pins I'l are provided with enlarged bearings23 which ride in cam slots 24 formed in a ring. 25. Each of these camslots 24 provides a cam. hill 26 adapted to engage the bearing 23 forpurposes to be pres;- ently explained.

The socket 2| provides a reduced portion 21 embraced by the ring 25. Thering 25 is maintained upon the reduced portion for free rotationconcentrically with respect thereto by a retain ing nut 28 threaded uponthe outer end portion of the reduced portion 25.

The electrode 29 of the lamp I2 is adapted to have contact with theelectrode 30 ofthe socket 2|, and such latter electrode is projectedinto bearing engagement. with the electrode 29 by a suitable spring 3!arranged within the socket 2|.

When the lamp I2 is in latched position upon the socket 2|, the latchheads [8 are positioned over the restricted area I9 of the bayonet slots[5. Such latch heads l8 are firmly held in latched position with theflange M by springs 32 embracing the. shanks lfiand arranged between thebearing 23 and a restricted area 33 of the socket 2|. When the latchheads l8 are in latched position with respect to the flange M, thebearings 23 are located in the area 34 of the cam slots 24, which is atthe lowest point of the cam hill 26. To remove the latched engagement ofthe latch heads I8 with the flange Hi, the ring 25 is rotated in adirection so as to cause the bearings 23 to ride upwardly upon the camhills 26. Such action projects the latch pins It! against the action ofthe springs 32, thereby disposing the latch heads l8 from engagementwith the flange 14. In such position of the latch heads, the lamp 12 maybe partially rotated to dispose the enlarged areas 19' of the bayonetslots 15 in alignment with the latch heads l8, whereby, upon withdrawalof the lamp base from the socket, the latch heads will pass through theenlarged area I9, thus permitting removal of the lamp from the lampsocket.

By the employment of a ring rotatable concentrically with respect to thelamp socket, the ring serves to maintain the latch pins H in projectedposition, thus freeing the hands of the operator for the purpose ofremoving the lamp from the socket. To remount the lamp in the socket,the ring is rotated in a direction to permit the bearings to ride downthe cam hills to the area 34 at the base thereof, and into which areathe springs 32 will project the bearings 23, with the latch heads [8 inlatched engagement with respect to the flange l4. Such an arrangementfirmly holds the lamp in its socket and yet permits free and easyremoval of the lamp from the socket.

To facilitate rotating the ring 25 there may be provided a laterallyextending finger piece or handle 25.

My invention comprises relatively few parts, is simple in construction,easy of operation, and can therefore be manufactured at an economicalcost.

While I have illustrated and described the preferred form ofconstruction for carrying my invention into effect, this is capable ofvariation and modification without departing from the spirit of theinvention. I, therefore, do not wish to be limited to the precisedetails of construction set forth, but come within the scope of theappended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire toprotect by Letters Patent is:

1. A mechanism for facilitating the removal of a lamp from its socket,in which socket the lamp has been inserted by a straight thrust and apartial turn, comprising the combination with a flange on the lamp baseand provided with a plurality of bayonet slots and latch pins carried bythe socket and having latch heads yieldably held against the flange, ofa ring mounted on said socket for rotation concentrically with respectthereto and having in one face thereof a plurality of cam slotsengageable with the ends of the pins for projecting the pins relative tothe socket to a position to disengage the latch heads from said flange.

2. A mechanism for facilitating the removal of a lamp from its socket,in which socket the lamp has been inserted by a straight thrust and apartial turn, comprising the combination with a flange on the lamp baseand provided with a plurality of bayonet slots and latch pins carried bythe socket and having latch heads yieldably held against the flange, ofa ring mounted on said socket for rotation concentrically with respectlamp has been inserted by a straight thrust and a partial turn,comprising the combination with a flange on the lamp base and providedwith a plurality of bayonet slots and latch pins carried by the socketand having latch heads yieldably held against the flange, of a membermounted on said socket for rotation concentrically with respect theretoand having in one face thereof a plurality of cam slots engageable withthe ends of the pins for projecting the pins relative to the socket to aposition to disengage the latch heads from said flange.

4. A mechanism for facilitating the removal of a lamp from its socket,in which socket the lamp has been inserted by a straight thrust and apartial turn, comprising the combination with a flange on the lamp baseand provided with a plurality of bayonet slots and latch pins carried bythe socket and having latch heads yieldably held against the flange, ofa member mounted on said socket for rotation concentrically with respectthereto and having in one face thereof a plurality of cam slotsengageable with the ends of the pins for projecting the pins relative tothe socket to a position to disengage the latch heads from said flange,said socket having a reduced portion on which said member is rotatablymounted, and a retaining nut for said member threaded upon said reducedportion.

5. A mechanism for facilitating the removal of a lamp from its socket,in which socket the lamp has been inserted by a straight thrust and apartial turn, comprising the combination with a flange on the lamp baseand provided with a plurality of bayonet slots and latch pins carried bythe socket and having latch heads yieldably held against the flange, ofa ring mounted on said socket for rotation concentrically with respectthereto and having in one face thereof a plurality of cam slotsengageable with the ends of the pins for projecting the pins relative tothe socket to a position to disengage the latch heads from said flange,said socket having a reduced portion on which said ring is rotatablymounted, a retaining nut for said ring threaded upon said reducedportion, and a lateral lug on said ring providing a finger piece.

GEORGE F. KRTOUS.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number

